McLean County Democrats announce seven candidates for county board

Posted on October 25, 2019

Government Center — *The seven Democratic candidates is the most in the party’s history. (WJBC file photo)*

By Neil Doyle

BLOOMINGTON – McLean County Democrats are introducing a slate of candidates that will try to give the party a majority on the county board.

At Democratic party headquarters in Downtown Bloomington Friday the candidates announced include incumbent George Gordon in District 6. Ben Webb will run in District 4.

Gordon was first elected to the board in 1996. Webb was unsuccessful in last year’s election against State Rep. Dan Brady in the 105th District. District 4 Republican Bill Caisley will not seek re-election. He has endorsed Republican Adelita Cruz.

Jeff Bertrand, of Heyworth, will run in District 2. That seat is held by Republican William Friedrich who was appointed to the board. In District 5 Rachael Lund, of Normal, will try to unseat Republican and board chairman John McIntyre.

Lea Cline, associate professor of Art History at Illinois State University, will run in District 8. She will face Illinois Wesleyan University student Jordan Baker who’s running as a Republican. Democrat Carlo Robustelli announced that he would not be seeking re-election in District 8.

The final two candidates include Val Laymon in District 7 and Jackie Gunderson in District 9. Laymon, an ISU aluma, will face Republican Jacob Beard. Gunderson, currently a non-traditional student at Lincoln College, will try to unseat Republican Susan Shafer.

The slate of Democratic candidates is the largest in the party’s history. The GOP currently has the majority on the county board 13-7.

Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…